Spyridium subochreatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a low shrub with linear to oblong or narrowly egg-shaped leaves, and dense clusters of creamy-white flowers with dark brown, papery bracts at the base.
Spyridium subochreatum is a straggly or erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to, its branchlets densely covered with woolly hairs. The leaves are linear to oblong or narrowly egg-shaped, mainly long and wide with brown stipules long at the base. The edges of the leaves are sometimes rolled under, concealing the densely softly-hairy lower surface. The flowers are arranged in dense heads near the ends of branches surrounded at the base by several dark brown, papery bracts. The flowers are creamy-white and long. Flowering occurs from August to November and the fruit is an oval capsule about long.[1] [2]
This species was first formally described in 1855 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Trymalium subochreatum in his book Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants.[3] [4] In 1858, Siegfried Reissek changed the name to Spyridium subochreatum in the journal Linnaea.[5] The specific epithet (subochreatum) means "almost protected by greaves or leggings".[6]
Spyridium subochreatum grows in mallee-heath on sand dunes and is widespread and common in north-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. It also occurs in the Esperance Plains and Mallee bioregions of southern Western Australia.